


One Night Stand

by thewriterpoe



Category: EXO (Band), SHINee
Genre: Body Image, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 16:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4066393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriterpoe/pseuds/thewriterpoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was supposed to be a one night stand...but three months into dating Taemin noticed that something was wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

      They met at a club. It was supposed to be a one night stand. Still was. Two in the afternoon and they were still in bed. Usually his one night stands would have left by now so Jongin didn't know what he was supposed to do once the other man woke up. He watched him sleep. Taemin, that’s what he said his name was. God, he was beautiful; the brooding rocker type. Jongin took in his dark hair tumbling softly over his face; his long lashes caressing his high cheek bones; his sharp nose; his plump lips. Jongin studied his neck; his prominent collar bone. The muscles were surprising given his lithe frame. Jongin even spied the etchings of a six pack underneath his alabaster skin. He lifted the sheets covering Taemin’s lower body and smiled. _Score one, Kim Jongin_. When he looked back to Taemin’s face, he froze. Dark eyes were surveying him.

      "Hey!" Taemin said, voice thick with sleep.

      Jongin dropped the sheet. "Hey!"

      Before he knew it, hands were grabbing at him, pulling him into a cuddle. It was uncomfortable but he stayed completely still. Finally, because Jongin wouldn't reciprocate the embrace, Taemin let go of him; chasing the last remnants of sleep from his eyes; pressing the heels of his palms into the sockets of his eyes. He turned to look at Jongin who still hadn't moved. Jongin was hoping that Taemin wasn't expecting breakfast just because he hadn't skulked off in the middle of the night. That led to some pretty funny fantasies of him actually making the other man breakfast and he smiled at the image of Taemin pretending that the color of the burnt pancakes was the wheat flour coloring.

      "You look different in daylight," Taemin commented.

      Just like that the bubble they were in popped. Jongin’s face fell and he shot up from the bed with his back to Taemin. In a flash, he had a robe around his naked body and he headed to the bathroom. Taemin was a little stunned. Recovering quickly, he realized how he must have sounded. He padded to the bathroom, trying the handle and finding it stuck.

      "Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. I just…I'm sorry."

      The door flew open and he stumbled backwards from the unexpected force.

      "What are you sorry about?" Jongin asked, looking puzzled.

      Taemin was confused. He was pretty sure Jongin was upset by what he had said but now he was looking at Taemin like he had just come in at the end of the conversation.

      "Nothing," Taemin said, scratching the back of his head.

      Jongin smiled brightly. "So Sunrise Tacos for breakfast -" he looked at the clock on the night stand. "- lunch or do you have somewhere to be?" He was giving Taemin his out, sounding casual like they were buddies just met up.

      "Actually, I do have somewhere I have to be," Taemin said slowly.

      Jongin didn't understand why he looked so apologetic, that was the appropriate response. Taemin got dressed and kissed Jongin goodbye, promising to call him later. Jongin smiled, nodding knowingly because Taemin did not have his number.

      Alone at last, Jongin stood in his living room, looking around, waiting for the feeling of emptiness to descend. He had grown to like the feeling. It was as though something important had just passed out of his life but ahead of him stretched unseen possibilities. He was just getting the ‘new possibilities’ feeling when heard a knock on the door. He frowned a little. Taemin must have forgotten something, and going to open the door, he looked around for any of the other’s belongings.

      "Hi," Taemin said sheepishly.

      "You forgot something?"

      "Yeah, I forgot to get your number."

      Jongin smiled bashfully, reciting his mobile number.

      "Nice.” Taemin said hitting the send button. Somewhere in the apartment the Harry Potter theme could be heard. Jongin grimaced at the ringtone. Taemin laughed. “Now you have my number as well. I’ll give you call later this week.”

      Jongin nodded, smiling but he was not hopeful. That’s why he tried not to sound surprised when Taemin actually called to set up a date for Saturday night at a coffee shop in College town. He also tried not to look surprised when the other actually showed up for the date.

                                                                              *

      It wasn't until three months into dating that Taemin noticed that there was something wrong. For example, two months into dating he wanted Jongin to meet his friends but the younger man resisted. At the time, Taemin chucked it up to nerves since Jongin seemed a bit shyer than he'd expected; plus Jongin had asked him how he would introduce him...as a fuck buddy? Taemin had been baffled by the question but then he realized they hadn't really talked about what they were doing.

      "I think of you as my boyfriend," he said wondering what exactly Jongin thought of him. "I mean I let you pick out my new boxers."

      Jongin smiled.

      "...so I _am_ your boyfriend, right?" Taemin asked, scanning Jongin’s face cautiously.

      "Hmm," Jongin nodded leaning in to kiss Taemin’s cheek. "You are my boyfriend."

      But Jongin still didn't want to meet Taemin’s friends. It was reluctantly that he met them at the tent bar they usually hung out at on Saturday evenings. They were a boisterous lot, especially Kibum who was with Taemin the night they hooked up. Jongin had been uncharacteristically quiet and Taemin couldn't reconcile the man who had boldly walked up to him in the club with the man seated beside him, shrinking with every half hour that passed. When he had asked if something was wrong Jongin sort of panicked, pounding back drink after drink till something of his personality came through.

      There was also how Jongin refused to let Taemin see him naked even after they'd just fucked ten ways to Sunday. Taemin had noticed that Jongin was body conscious the afternoon after their first night when he made the off comment about him looking different in daylight.  Jongin was practically precipitous with compliments about Taemin’s body but dismissive about the ones Taemin paid him. Taemin loved Jongin's body: the taut muscles, the broad frame, the expanse of tanned skin. He didn’t understand why Jongin shied under his admiring gaze.

      But those didn't prepare him for walking into Jongin’s apartment and finding him unconscious on the kitchen floor; face smeared with the icing of an ice-cream cake two thirds gone and an empty bottle of pineapple rum beside him. Taemin called for an ambulance and finally learned the story behind the thin bracelet on Jongin’s left hand. His boyfriend was diabetic and required a particular brand of insulin. Taemin also learned that Jongin's best friend, Sehun, whom he often heard about but never actually met, was also Jongin’s roommate. Taemin was floored by this discovery. He’d spent almost every weekend at Jongin’s place and not once did the other mention a roommate. He’d always assumed that the second bedroom was a guest bedroom and that the clothes in the closet were Jongin’s. 

      "I'm sorry, I didn't know Jongin had a roommate," Taemin apologized when he didn’t know who Sehun was even though Sehun knew him on sight.

      Sehun smiled knowingly, not even offended or surprised. It was Jongin's way – not sharing his relationships. The only reason Sehun knew about Taemin was because Jongin didn’t want Sehun freaking out about a random guy in the apartment. "I hope you weren't too frightened. Jongin does get like this sometimes," Sehun said looking back at Taemin as he caressed his friend’s hand, the one without a drip.

      "I don't understand. This isn't the first time?"

      Sehun paled, looking as though he had said something he shouldn't have. But if Taemin was going to part of Jongin’s life, which judging for his recent conversations with Jongin it was looking to be that way, he should know what to expect.

      Taemin was looking at the tall, somewhat expressionless man expectantly. Sehun sighed before saying, "I don't want to scare you -" but already Taemin was looking afraid. "But you must have noticed some things about Jongin."

      "Some things?" Taemin repeated suspiciously.

      Sehun carefully crafted the next sentence. "He's doesn’t really like himself."

      Taemin thought that he might have some vague idea about what Sehun was talking about. In his mind, he had built Jongin up as suave and confident, always ready with smirk. But he had noticed flashes of something weak; pained expressions when he made a comment about Jongin’s skin or his body’s build. But those are always gone so quickly that Taemin sometimes thought he imagined them.

      “I didn’t really notice anything was wrong.”

      Sehun looked at him sympathetically. “No one usually does. Until something like this happens. It’s a coping mechanism…when pretending doesn’t work anymore.”

                                                                        *

      On the night Taemin brought Jongin home from the hospital, he sat him down on the couch with a very solemn expression on his face. He talked to Jongin about opening up to him and even apologized for not paying more attention to him. – “It’s just that I had built this smiling image of you in my mind and I forgot that you hurt like other people do.”

      Taemin was so earnest in his speech and Jongin was so embarrassed – eyes large, cheeks hot with blush.

      When they made love that night, Taemin noticed that Jongin hardly looked him in the eyes; his gaze always hovering around his mouth. Taemin tried to think back on the other times they had sex but couldn’t remember ever locking eyes. When he tried to meet Jongin’s gaze, the other closed his eyes in a play of ecstasy. Taemin stopped thrusting get Jongin’s attention and it worked. Jongin opened his eyes, briefly meeting the sweet stare. But when Taemin started pushing into him again, Jongin’s eyes fell to his lips. When they had first started, Taemin found this incredibly hot, like Jongin couldn’t get enough of his lips.

      “Look at me,” he said softly.

      Jongin shook his head but Taemin waited. Slowly Jongin’s eyes met his. He looked vulnerable, even frightened but he held Taemin’s gaze. Jongin wanted to do this much for Taemin and for a time he was fine; but, Taemin’s gaze became too intimate, too penetrating. He felt that pretty soon Taemin would be able to see him - _really see him_ \- and Jongin wasn’t ready for that.

      “I can’t,” he sobbed, turning his head to the side. Taemin stopped thrusting but remained sheathed inside Jongin, waiting for an explanation he knew would not come.

      Taemin sighed. “One step at a time,” he said, like a promise.

      Jongin looked at him, propping up on his elbows to kiss him. Taemin started thrusting again and Jongin’s eyes fluttered shut. Even though he expected it, Taemin was disappointed when he saw it.  But he still went faster when Jongin asked him to, harder when Jongin moaned for it.

                                                                              *

      It was Jongin who initiated the next time they had sex. He had been practicing eye contact in the mirror, staring down strangers on the train, and thought he was ready to look in Taemin’s eyes. They were on the couch, watching a foreign film on Netflix when suddenly he straddled Taemin’s lap and kissed him deeply, tenderly. Taemin was taken back at first but kept his eyes on Jongin when the other looked at him. Jongin didn’t look away. Smiling triumphantly, counting to ten, he took one of Taemin’s hands in his, guiding it between their legs and up his thighs. He struggled to keep his eyes open when Taemin caressed his clothed erection; lids instinctively fluttering shut but flinging open when he remembered.

      It was disappointing not seeing how Jongin’s abdomen clenched as he was being stroked but Taemin couldn’t, even if he wanted to, pull away from Jongin’s gaze. It was a little bit of everything: sunshine and sadness, childhood, and playing air guitar in their underwear on vodka Sundays. Jongin ran his fingers through Taemin’s hair, nails scratching his scalp and it was Taemin’s turn to struggle to keep his eyes open.

      “I love you,” Jongin said and Taemin was stunned. He had said it before – many times – and Jongin had said it when he thought the other was sleeping. But to hear it with waking ears was…different. “Now, fuck me,” Jongin growled, squirming in Taemin’s lap because Taemin had stopped fondling him. Jongin’s right hand was already passed the drawstring of Taemin’s sweatpants, palming his dick into arousal. Taemin caught that hand by the wrist, pulling it out.

      “Say it again,” he said, voice cracking at the end.

      “Now, fuck me,” Jongin repeated slowly, a smirk forming at the left corner of his mouth.

      Taemin’s grip tightened around Jongin’s wrist but it was not uncomfortable, “The other thing.”

      Jongin blushed, suddenly shy. His eyes darted away but eventually made their way back to Taemin’s. “I love you.”

      It hung in the air, filling the space within and between them and just when it became too unbearable Taemin kissed Jongin – hard.

                                                                              *

      Taemin thought everything was fine after that. So he couldn’t understand why Jongin refused to go with him to Kibum’s birthday party. He pushed and pushed for an answer till Jongin locked himself in the bathroom. He was crying. Taemin could hear him despite the running tap. Jongin usually cried in the bathroom. Taemin found that out when he came home early one day and heard him. He wondered how often Jongin had done that but never asked.

      Eventually Jongin came out and he was surprised that Taemin was still standing on the other side of the door when usually he would have let it go. This time, Taemin was not letting it go and instantly Jongin’s face soured.

      Finally, when Taemin cornered him in the kitchen, Jongin broke: “I hate seeing you with other people. I hate that you can smile at other people even though they’re your friends. I hate that you could be happy without me because I can see how easy it is to leave…I know I can’t ask you to give up your friends for me but don’t force me to like them because I won’t.”

      Taemin was flabbergasted. He couldn’t form the thoughts let alone the words to express what he was feeling. It was anger but it was more than that, deeper than that. “That is unacceptable,” he said slowly. “My friends are an important part of my life. I won’t give up either of you.”

      “No one’s asking you to give up anything…just keep them separate.”

      “As though I was ashamed?” Taemin shouted. He was so angry he was shaking. “What? Are you ashamed of me?” Jongin gave him a look of almost disgust. “No, tell me,” Taemin insisted, voice thick with mixed emotion. “You’ve never introduced me to any of your friends. I only found out you had a roommate because of your near death experience. So, I don’t think I’m being unreasonable in feeling like you are embarrassed about our relationship.”

      “Of course I’m embarrassed about our relationship,” Jongin returned, matching Taemin’s tone and volume. “How could I not? You’re fucking perfect and I’m…I’m just shit. I can see it in people’s eyes when they see us together. We don’t match. At least when it’s just you I don’t have to pretend I deserve you because you look at me as though I am the world. You’re beautiful, your friends are beautiful, and your friendships are beautiful. I don’t have any friends. No one gives a fuck about the boy who won’t stop crying. They get tired, they move on.”

      Taemin didn’t know what to say. Actually, it wasn’t that he didn’t know what to say but that he had so much to say and didn’t know how to say it or where to start. So he told Jongin that he loved him. It didn’t seem like enough to bridge the space growing between them.

      Jongin laughed. It was a small, short laugh.  “I love you too.”

      But there was a finality about the way he said it that frightened Taemin.

                                          ________________________________

 

_"Why did ask me on a date? It could have just ended that day,” Jongin asked._

_Taemin shrugged. "No one’s ever walked up to me before to ask for a dance.”_

_“Doubtful,” Jongin said._

_“It’s true,” Taemin insisted. “Plus…”_

_“Plus?”_

_Taemin hesitated. "The sex was fun."_

_Jongin laughed softly, "Sex is generally fun."_

_Taemin conceded on that point but, "I don't know...usually stranger sex is awkward but it was different with you. It was...fun." It was the only word he could think of the describe it. "I mean I don't think I've laughed once during sex before you."_

_"How could you not? With cringe worthy sex talk and the absurd sex noises..."_

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

_Message one:_

_Jongin-ah! Where are you? The movie starts in ten minutes. I hope you’re not still sleeping._

_Message two:_

_Kim Jongin! What the fuck?_

_Message four:_

_Hey! Is everything alright? You haven’t returned any of my messages._

_Message seven:_

_Jonginnie, I’m sorry…just message me or something so that I know you’re alive and not lying in some hospital._

_Message nine:_

_Jongin-ah, I love you. Call me._

_Message thirteen:_

_I love you. Call me. Please._

      Even though Taemin knew the call would go to voice mail, he still held out the hope that this would be the call Jongin would answer. When he heard Jongin’s sleepy voice on the other end of line, for a second, his heart flipped in his chest. It happened every time the voice message came on.

“Hey, it’s Taemin. Did you watch last night’s episode of Walking Dead? Crazy, right? I did not see that coming.  I don’t want to spoil it for you in case you haven’t  seen it but…” His voice trailed, becoming less animated as he kicked at the guard railing. He was outside the club he’d met Jongin, celebrating Kibum and Jinki’s anniversary. Jonghyun and Minho were there as well. It was a little cold outside, the wind nipping at his skin. He should have brought his jacket with him, he thought as he pinned his hair away from his face. “You are alright, aren’t you? You’re eating well, right? Anyway, I just called to see how you’re doing. I have to get back even though Kibum and Jinki-hyung are being super annoying. I love you. Call me.”

Taemin didn’t know if Jongin was getting any of his messages but at least his number hadn’t changed – unlike the key code to his apartment – and that he supposed was something. He looked at his phone one more time before heading back to the VIP room the others were in. He pointedly ignored the look Kibum was giving him, downing the shot Minho handed him.

After three more rounds of shots, Taemin suddenly bolted from the room. He was in the middle of a song battle with Jonghyun when he thought he saw Jongin’s roommate, Sehun, walking passed their room on the way to the toilet. He almost ran down Jinki who was bringing in two more bottles of alcohol.

“Sehun!” Taemin yelled over the thumping bass from the main room.

The tall man, now with auburn colored hair, turned at his name and immediately his face fell. Taemin even thought he saw him mouth the word ‘fuck’.

“Hey!” Sehun said when Taemin caught up with him. He tried to look cheerful but his discomfort at the unexpected meeting was plain.

“How are you?” Taemin asked even though he really couldn’t have cared less. He could see that Sehun was well. It was Jongin he couldn’t seen.

“Good,” Sehun replied, bobbing his head.

“And…Jongin?” Taemin looked ahead at the person waiting for Sehun.

“He’s not here,” Sehun said following the older’s gaze.

Taemin couldn’t help but look disappointed. “But he’s okay, right? He’s eating well?”

Sehun sighed. He looked even more uncomfortable than before. “He’s…eating well,” he said carefully.

This made Taemin suspicious. It seemed like something was going on with Jongin that Sehun wouldn’t say; but it also seemed like he felt bad for Taemin and didn’t want to lie to him but Jongin was friend.

      “Sehun, please. I’m going crazy here,” Taemin pleaded, grabbing the other’s hands.

“Hyung, I – I I’m sorry but I don’t want to get in the middle of this.”

“Babe, is everything alright?” The man who had been waiting for Sehun appeared behind him, arms circling possessively around his waist. He had sandy brown hair and looked like a deer.

“It’s fine, Luhan.” Sehun returned, patting the arms around him. “This is Taemin. Jongin’s…friend.”

Luhan acknowledged Taemin with a nod, loosening his grip on his boyfriend. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Taemin was too stuck by the introduction as Jongin’s friend to say anything. He smiled but it was a miserly thing.

“We have to go,” Sehun said apologetically. “I’ll tell Jongin you were asking after him.”

Taemin watched the two men disappear into the men’s restroom. His emotions were a mess. On the one hand he was happy to learn that Jongin was indeed alive and well because he seriously worried that Jongin was lying in a diabetic coma somewhere. But then he was angry. Jongin had cut him off so completely that if Sehun hadn’t acknowledged him, he could be convinced that he made Jongin and their relationship up. And what was that Sehun said? Jongin’s friend? Did Jongin break up with him and not tell him? _What the actual fuck?_

_*_

“Jongin-ah, it me,” Sehun’s voice sounded in his ear. His phone was tucked between his head and shoulder as he spooned mouth full of Coconut Pistachio ice-cream into his mouth. “I’ll be at Luhan’s tonight so don’t wait up and also DON’T EAT MY ICE-CREAM.” _Too late,_ Jongin smirked, scrapping the bottom of the ice-cream tub. “Oh! And I saw Taemin-hyung at the club. He asked about you. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him anything but you should call him. He’s really worried about you. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow and my ICE-CREAM BETTER BE THERE WHEN I GET HOME.”

Jongin let the spoon roll from his fingers to the wooden floor. He stood motionless in the middle of the dark kitchen listening to Taemin’s voice fill his eardrums as the old messages played back after Sehun’s.

      _Jongin-ah. Pick up. I love you. Call me._

Taemin’s voice seemed to be needier in his bedroom as he lay on Taemin’s side of the bed, pushing his nose into Taemin’s pillow which still smelled of him.

      _Jongin-ah, I miss you. Just pick up the phone. Let me hear your voice._

“I miss you too,” Jongin whispered in the dark, curling into himself and listening to all twenty seven voice messages until he fell asleep.

The next day, Jongin woke up to the sound of Sehun’s voice shrilling from the kitchen. He had hoped that if he burrowed deeper in the covers Sehun would leave him be but he had no such luck as his roommate barreled into his room with the empty ice-cream carton in his hand.

“Who eats ice-cream in the morning?” Jongin smarted, pulling at the covers that Sehun had ripped from his body.

“It’s three in the afternoon. And who puts back an empty carton of ice-cream in the fridge?”

Jongin laughed. Sehun hadn’t heard it in a long time. It was a nice sound. But when Jongin tried his best aegyo face, Sehun was having none of it.

“Okay fine,” Jongin relented, sulking. “I’ll go get you another one.”

“Now!” Sehun demanded grabbing at the covers just as Jongin was getting comfortable again.

“Okay, okay. Sheesh!” Jongin said grimacing at he stretched his hands over his head. It seemed like every muscle in his body ached. Even muscles he didn’t know existed. He threw on his shirt and sweatpants from the day before, shaking out his hair so it wasn’t quite so flat in the back. He dawdled with putting on his shoes and it seemed to Sehun that he wanted to ask something. 

“He’s fine,” Sehun said.

Jongin made like he didn’t know what Sehun was talking about but his roommate gave him the look mother’s give their children when they’re being deliberately stupid.

Jongin looked away to hide the blush. “That’s good.”

“That’s it?” Sehun asked incredulous. “I don’t understand you. Taemin’s possibly the love of your life and you’re just going to leave things like this?”

Jongin scowled at the ‘love of your life’ part but he couldn’t deny it. Taemin was supposed to be a one night stand but somehow he managed to get passed the bravado and posturing and see the less glamorous side him. But not only that, he stayed and wanted to stay.

“I don’t see why you can’t just tell him. It’s fucking dance therapy. I would think that he’d be supportive about you feeling better about yourself.”

Jongin only indulged Sehun in this line of talk because it had been Sehun’s idea to try dance therapy. He had told Jongin the night after his fight with Taemin that if he felt badly about his body because of the way it looked then maybe he would feel better about his body because of something it could do. Jongin had looked at Sehun as though he was a revelation and Sehun had tried not to look offended.

“The guy is crazy about you,” Sehun said, embellishing a little, “He said so himself.”

Jongin seemed to like that but Sehun also knew that Jongin was stubborn. He was probably telling himself that he’d fucked up royalty – which he had – and that he didn’t deserve Taemin – which from his actions he didn’t. So, Jongin wasn’t going to do anything until he was ready and by then it may be too late.

                                                                              *

      Taemin was surprised, to say the least, when he saw Sehun striding over to him in a huff. In the six months he’d dated Jongin and the three weeks he’d stalked their apartment hoping to catch either of them, he’d only seen the elusive roommate once. This second sighting in as many weeks felt like a privilege.

      “Why have you stopped leaving him messages?” Sehun demanded, forgoing formalities and greetings not only to Taemin but the other two men with him.

      “What?” Taemin sputtered some of the iced Americano he was drinking.

      “The messages,” Sehun repeated. “They’ve stopped. Why? And he was doing so well.”

      Taemin was feeling attacked and took to the defensive. “You know about the messages?” Sehun’s face said ‘obviously’. “How did you even find me?”

      Sehun rolled his eyes. “It’s not as though you’re not hanging out here – in his favorite coffee shop – hoping to bump into him.”

      Taemin looked at Jonghyun and Kibum who peered back at him over their drinks. “Look,” Taemin sighed. “It’s been six weeks and he hasn’t returned my calls or messages. Obviously he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

      Sehun rolled his eyes again. “Urgh! You two are so annoying. Mostly him but you as well. Come with me!” He didn’t give Taemin a chance to answer; he grabbed the older man by the wrist and dragged him along with him. Only when Taemin stopped struggling did Sehun let go. They got into Sehun’s car and peeled out of the parking stop.

      “What did you mean when you said ‘he was doing so well’? Did something happen to Jongin? Is he okay? Is he in the hospital?” Taemin rumbled when they were on the highway.

      “It’s nothing like that,” Sehun replied, sparing a glance to his passenger. “He just mopes around the house staring at his phone. It’s really fucking annoying.”

      Taemin’s concern gave way to irritation. “If he wants to hear my voice he can just –“

      “He listens to your voice every night,” Sehun interrupted. “He plays your messages over and over again until he falls asleep.”

      “Oh,” Taemin said, his mood softening. He imagined Jongin lying in bed, cradling his phone in one ear. The thought made him smile a little – Jongin hadn’t forgotten him. “Where are you taking me?” he asked, noticing that they weren’t going in the direction of Sehun and Jongin’s apartment.

      Sehun didn’t answer. He took another right into a plot with a stand-alone building and several parking spaces. The sign on the building said ‘Seoul Sessions Dance Academy’. Taemin followed Sehun into building, down a long corridor with a wall on one side and a parallel glass window on the other side. On the other side of the glass were dance studios; four of them divided by sliding walls. They stopped at the last studio at the far end of the building, the one where Jongin dancing in. It was just after hours so there was no one else around.

      Taemin was stunned. He knew it was Jongin dancing in front of him but he seemed like a completely different person.

      “He’s really good,” Taemin gushed unable to contain his smile. Even though Jongin was looking right at them, he wasn’t reacting to their presence so the window must have been a one-way mirror.

      “He’s doing it for you, you know,” Sehun said, leaning against the glass, arms folded, looking at Taemin.

      Taemin dragged his eyes away from Jongin’s cavorting form to look at Sehun.

      “I’ve been telling Jongin for years to pick up dancing again - he’s always seemed happiest when dancing but it was only after you that he actually did it. He wants to be better for you…well, mostly for himself but also for you.”

      The music stopped playing and Jongin stopped dancing. He had a smile on his face that Taemin hadn’t seen it before.

      “So, that’s my cue to leave,” Sehun said when he saw Jongin walk up to the glass and pick up his bag.

      “Wait, what?” But by the time Taemin realized what was happening, Sehun was already out the back exit and Jongin was stepping out of the dance room.

      It was awkward. Taemin hated that it was awkward as he gave Jongin a small wave. Jongin looked surprised then embarrassed. They stood in silence under the florescent lights, looking anywhere but each other; eventually meeting each other’s eyes in attempted stolen glances.

      Taemin was the one to break the silence with a laugh and Jongin joined in.

      “How have you been?” Taemin asked with a smile.

      “I’m good,” Jongin returned with a smile of his own. “You?”

      “Not so good.”

      Jongin’s eyes and smile fell.

      “I’ve missed you,” Taemin said taking a step closer to Jongin.

      Jongin looked up. He didn’t say it but his eyes conveyed that he’d missed Taemin as well.

      “You’re really good,” Taemin nodded towards the dance studio.

      “I am,” Jongin replied with a cocky upturn on his head.

      Taemin scowled at the response but he saw that Jongin was teasing so he let it slide. Generally, this school yard crush scenario was not his style so he was having a hard time watching Jongin twiddle with the strap of his backpack while he worried his own bottom lip.

      Suddenly, Jongin’s expression became serious. “Taemin, I’m sorry.”

      “I know,” Taemin returned.

      “I didn’t mean to shut you out like that, it’s just -”

      Taemin swallowed the rest of Jongin’s words. He’d been wanting to kiss Jongin since he saw him and it reflected in the urgent way his lips moved against the younger’s, coaxing him to open his mouth for their tongue to meet.

      “I know,” Taemin said breathily at the end of the kiss.

      “I didn’t want to pretend with you.”

      “I know,” Taemin kissed him again. “I’m sorry too.”

      Jongin looked baffled. “For what?”

      “For pushing you. I said I’d pay more attention to you but I didn’t do such a good job with that.”

      Jongin shook his head. “That was the problem. You paid attention. You saw.” His eyes flickered to where Taemin’s fingers brushed against his knuckles. “I wasn’t ready for that so I freaked out.”

      “And…are you ready now?” Taemin asked carefully, his eyes flitting up with meet Jongin’s. He seemed genuinely afraid that the answer would be no.

      “I want you to see me,” Jongin said, tentatively hooking one of Taemin’s fingers with his index then letting go.

      Taemin leaned in and dropped his head on Jongin’s shoulder, sighing. He was so glad to hear that.

      “Jongin, this is going to sound bad because we’re being so horribly romantic right now but I really want to fuck you.”

      Jongin laughed; the sound rumbling in his chest. How he thought he could do without this idiot he wouldn’t understand. He made a mental note to thank Sehun and then said, “I should warn you that my stamina has improved,” he said slyly.

      Taemin stepped back from Jongin, leering at him.

      “My flexibility, too, is quiet impressive,” Jongin added smugly.

      Taemin’s jaw dropped a little, the glint in his eyes saying ‘challenge accepted’ as he grabbed Jongin’s hand and practically dragged him out of the building.


End file.
